Stapling device



Feb. 21, 1961 D. c. BARR 2,972,151

STAPLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1958 INVENTOR DOUGLAS C. BARR F|G.5 BYJQKQQL A/TTORNEY United States Patent STAPLING DEVICE Douglas C. Barr, 2200 N. 2nd St., Arlington 1, Va.

Filed Aug. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 755,313

5 Claims. (Cl. 1187) This invention relates to an automatically operated impact-type fastening device, otherwise known as a stapling machine, and more particularly to a novel stapling machine uniquely adapted to the task of securing angularly disposed reinforcing rods, as used in building and road construction.

As is well known in the art of road and building construction considerable use is made of steel rods for purposes of reinforcing the concrete construction. In practice these rods are laid in a network or quilted pattern disposed at right angles to one another, over which the concrete is poured. However, before the concrete is poured, the rods must be secured together in order that the weight of the concrete will not separate the rods and disturb the reinforcing value thereof. The general practice of securing such rods together at the present time is to make use of short lengths of wire which are twisted diagonally across the juncture of the rods. The wire ends are then twisted together by means of a pair of pliers or other suitable device fixedly securing the rods together.

Obviously, the foregoing described technique of securing the reinforcing rods together is not the most desirable, since such technique is expensive from the aspect of being time consuming, inefilcient and results in delay.

The present invention is directed to a novel device which provides a unique method of securing such rods together wherein the novel mechanism employs the principles of the well-known impact-type stapling gun.

Representative of considerable advance in the art is United States Letters Patent No. 2,055,257 issued to A. H. Maynard et al., which patent discloses a device for connecting sections of wire fencing, netting, and other reticulated wire fabrics by means of staples. The Maynard device, basically, employs a staple magazine and feeding mechanism in combination with a pair of clinching jaws for clinching the staples around the wire or reticulated netting. In the Maynard device, the staples are clinched about the wire by means of extremely long lever arms which provide sumcient mechanical advantage to clinch the obviously heavy duty staple.

Like the Maynard device the present novel invention is directed to a mechanism that can be used for securing sections of wire fencing, netting, and other reticulated wire fabrics, and also for binding together wires, ropes, and like materials. However, the device of the present invention is more particularly directed to the securing of heavy-section iron or steel reinforcing rods peculiarly common to the construction field in the poured concrete type building and road construction. The device of the present invention represents a further advance in the art .in that this novel device combines the best principles of the impact-type stapling device along with a heavyduty type staple necessary for such securing tasks. By employing the impact-type stapling mechanism for this task extremely high manual forces and/or long lever arms a are eliminated, and thus this machine'is inexpensive to "ice produce, extremely compact, eflicient, and simple in nature as well as being of minimum weight.

It is therefore a primary object of the present novel invention to provide novel fastening means.

It is another object of the present novel invention to provide a novel method of securing wire or rod-like members together.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel stapling machine to secure angularly disposed rods or wire together.

Yet another object of the present novel invention is to provide a novel method of securing reticulated wire or iron rod patterns together.

A further object of the present novel invention is to provide a novel stapling machine to secure wire or rods, disposed at an angular configuration, firmly together.

Yet another object of the present novel invention is to provide a novel magazine-type impact stapler for the express purpose of conn cting angularly disposed wires or rods together.

An additional object of the present novel invention is -to provide an impact type stapling machine with a novel detachable magazine having a unique hooked foot, whereby staples are securely wrapped around angularly disposed rods or wires for securing said wires or rods firmly together.

Still a further object of the present novel invention is to provide a stapling machine with a saddle-like staple magazine having a novel curved engaging foot at the forward end thereof, whereby staples driven from said magazine will straddle one rod and engage another rod of angularly disposed rods to hold said rods firmly together.

Yet another object of the present novel invention is to provide a simple novel impact-type stapling machine having an automatic saddle-like magazine feed with a unique curved engaging foot at the forward end thereof for stapling angularly disposed rods or wire firmly together.

Another object of the present novel invention is to provide a unique simply operated inexpensive impacttype efficient stapling machine for securing wire, or rods, disposed to form a pattern or network firmly together.

These and other objects will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and claims when read in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing the engaging foot, and further showing the general type of impact stapling device;

Figure 2, is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of angularly disposed reinforcing rods showing how the novel staple of the present invention fixedly secures said rods together;

Figure 3, is a perspective view partially broken away showing the novel staple magazine of the present invention, and further showing the novel forward engaging foot and means of attaching the adjustable ram;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5, is a fragmentary elevational View of the novel mechanism of the present invention showing how different magazines for varying staple sizes can be secured to the driving portion of the tool; and

Figure 6, is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the pivotal covering latch which permits connection of the actuating slide and staple ram.

The fastener-retaining means constituting the subject matter of the present invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is an implement of the type known as a tacker, and which is similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,161,449 issued June 6, 1939, to Lewis G. Blumenbaum. The usual impact 8 type tacker is employed for applying U-shaped staples to the work, by driving the staple through the work and attachingmember by means of impact by the ram from a high compression coil spring. The present novel invention is intended to extend the use of the well-known tacking type stapling device by adapting the principle of operation of such device for securing angularly disposed wire, rods, and other elongate members together. More particularly, the novel invention herein disclosed is particularly adapted and directed to securing together the well-known reinforcing rods used in road and building construction. It is the purpose of the present novel invention to eliminate the heretofore tedious wire and 'plier-type method of securing said rods, by providing an automatic and instantaneous fastening device.

As therein disclosed the present novel invention is generally designated by the numeral 20, and comprises a novel two-piece housing 22 provided with a hand-hold portion 24. Mounted at the lower end of casing 22 is a novel magazine assembly generally designated 26, which will hereinafter be more particularly described.

Hollow two-part casing 22 is suitably held in assembled relation as by means of bolts 28 and 30 extending transversely through housing 22, as clearly seen in Figure 1. Reciprocally mounted at the forward end of housing 22 is a hollow essentially rectangular cross-section plunger 32, which is connected to a blade-like staple driver or slide 34. Latch member 36 pivotally mounted on stationary pin 38 mounted within housing 22 serves to normally hold plunger 32 in a raised or up position, as illustrated in Figure 1. Hairpin-shaped spring 40 mounted on pin 38 and having an end wrapped around pivoted latch 36 and the other end engaging abutment block 42 serves to hold pivoted latch 36 in the up position as also illustrated in Figure 1. A very heavy duty compression spring 44 is mounted within hollow plunger 32 intermediate the lower closed end thereof and a follower 46 mounted at the upper open end within plunger 32, as also clearly seen in Figure 1. The follower 46 is axially or longitudinally movable within plunger 32 as will become readily apparent from the following description.

Follower 46 is adapted to be axially or longitudinally actuated by means of a pivoted lever 48 mounted longitudinally within housing 22 and fixedly pivoted to the housing as by means of transverse bolt or screw 50. Hairpin shaped spring 52 has its coil concentrically mounted about bolt 50 and is provided with one leg 54 in abutting engagement with the back end of housing 22,

and the other leg 56 having an end 58 wrapped around the lower edge of member 48. By means of spring 52 lever 48 is resiliently biased to an up" position as illustrated in Figure l.

At its forward end lever 48 is connected to follower 46 by means of a pair of links 60. In operation lever 48 is adapted to be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction against the resilient biasing force of spring 52 by means of manually operated lever 62 which has a bifurcated forward end pivotally mounted on trunnions 64, which extend transversely of easing or housing 22. In order that'the movements of lever 62 may be transmitted to lever 48, there is provided bifurcated links 66 pivotally connected as at 68 and 70 to manual lever 62 and lever 48, respectively. Resilient or yieldable abutment 42 of any suitable construction extends transversely of housing 22 beneath the lower end of plunger 32 to wardly extending legs 80, which are integrally connected to sides 74 by lower parts 82, thus defining a staple channel 83 within magazine 26, and further defining an upper opening or chamber 84 for purposes of the staple pusher and biasing springs, as will hereinafter be described. Spaced interior legs also define a rod trough 81 to be hereinafter described. Mounted within space 84 of staple magazine 26 is a solid U-shaped pusher 86 which serves to move staples 88 to the forward end of magazine 26 under the biasing influence of tension springs 98. Tension springs 90 are secured to opposite upper edges of the forward end of magazine 26 at one end, and at the opposite end fixedly secured to pusher 86 within openings 92 of the pusher 86.

Magazine 26 is also provided substantially adjacent to its upper end with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 94, as clearly seen in Figure 3 through which extend pins 96 rigidly secured to the sides of block 86, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

integrally formed at the forward end of magazine 26 are two U-shaped legs 98 having an arcuate trough or slot therein 100 conforming to the width of the legs of staple 88. Thus, the first staple 88 extends out and is aligned with slots 100 preparatory to being driven. Also slidably mounted at the forward end of magazine 26 is a ram 102 having a U-shaped lower end 104, and further having an integral upstanding elongate portion 106 which terminates at its upper end in an integral horizontal T-bar portion 108. Integrally formed on the lower end of solid u shaped section 78 is a rocker or cam 118 located approximately one-quarter to one-third of the distance back from the forward end of magazine 26 and wholly between internal legs 80 as clearly seen in Figure 1.

Turning now to Figure 1, it will be seen that the forward end of magazine 26 is provided with a pivotally mounted movable latch or door closure generally designated 112. This latch member is of suitable sheet metal construction and pivotally connected to magazine 26 as at or by bolts or pins 114 extending through horizon tally disposed slots 115 in the sides of latch 112 extending transversely outwardly from the sides of magazine 26 to be hereinafter more fully described. Slots 115 permit opening of the latch 112 by permitting the latch to be moved outwardly, or to the left as viewed in Figure 1, so that it can then be pivoted on pins 114.

Latch mechanism 112 is of generally U-shaped construction having a forward closure portion 116 and parallel extending integral ear portions 118 which em braces opposite sides of magazine 26. Latch 112 is held in its closed position and retains staples 88 in the staple channel by means of two small thumb-type screws 120 which pass through an opening in forward closure portion 116, and engage threaded openings in the forward face of parallel sides 74.

A somewhat similar latch mechanism, generally designated 122, is employed to expose the lower portion of slide 34 for connection with ram 182, the connecting feature of which will be hereinafter described. Latch 122 has a front closure portion 124 from which extend parallel sides 126 the upper portions of which are somewhat larger as at 128. A pair of pins 130 extending transversely outwardly from the sides of housing 22 and through horizontally disposed slots 129 serve to pivotally mount latch 12.2 at portions 128, as clearly seen in Figure 1. Slots 129 function in a similar manner to slots 115 to permit the pivotal opening of latch 122. As best seen in Figure 6 latch 122 is held in its closed position by small screws 132 which pass through portion 124 and engage threaded openings in housing 22.

Turning to Figure 3, momentarily, it will be noted that slide 34 is provided with a cut out portion to facilitate easy attachment to staple driving ram 102. The cutout portion in slide 34 comprises an elongate slot 134 midway between the sides of slide 34 and extending upwardly from the lower end thereof. The upper end of slot134 terminates in a horizontal cut out portion 136, of generally rectangular shape. Thus it can be readily seen that slot 134 and portion 136 are of generally T-shape which is essentially the shape of portions 106 and 108 of staple driving ram 102. Dimensionally, slot 134 and portion 136 are just slightly larger than portions 106 and 108 so that portions 108 and 106 can fit into portions 136 and slot 134, respectively. To effect connection latch 124 is released and pivotally opened and ram 102 is then connected to slide 34 as aforedescribed after which latch 124 is closed and secured in place by screws 132. It will be obvious that sliding movements of slide 34 are directly transmitted to ram 102 to drive staples 88 in the well known manner.

Novel magazine 26 is attached to housing 22 by means of transversely extending bolts 142 and 144 which pass through suitable openings in forward and rear integral upstanding attaching ears 146 and 148, respectively, as clearly seen in Figures 1 and 3.

As clearly seen in Figure 5, magazines of different widths can all be accommodated on the same housing 22, since the distance between the upstanding ears 146, as illustrated in Figure 5, is maintained at all times at the exact or slightly larger thickness than the housing 22 even though the magazine portion 26 may be wider for wider staples. And, of course, that portion of the driving ram 102 that consists of the elongate portion 106 and T-bar member 108 are always maintained in the same dimension for connection to a standard slide member 34.

in loading a magazine 26 the thumb screw 120 is removed and latch 112 is rotated clockwise on its pivots 114 to expose staple channel 83. .Pins 96 are then grasped and moved toward the rear of magazine 26 thus moving staple pusher 86 to the rear and permitting the insertion of a row of staples 88. Latch 112 is then moved to the closed position, illustrated in Figure 1, and held in this position until thumb screw 120 is firmly reset. Of course, rearward movement of staple pusher 86 extends springs 90 and thereby creates a biasing force forward on staples 88 through pusher 86, so that staples are constantly fed forward to the ejecting position.

Turning now to Figures 1 through 4 a description of the operation of the novel device of the present invention will now be described in connection with the securing together of the pair of rods 150 and 152, disposed at right angles as shown in Figure 2. In operation the novel Securing machine 20 is mounted on rod 150, the rod 150 is within trough 81 and the magazine 26 is straddling the rod 150; that is, rod 150 i located wholly between internal legs 80 of magazine 26. Once machine 20 is mounted on rod 150 as heretofore described it is slightly rotated in a counter-clockwise direction until hook portion 98 engages the underside of rod 152 on opposite sides of rod 150. The machine is then rotated slightly in a clockwise direction so that the cam 110 engages the top of rod 150, after which pressure is applied to actuating handle 62 which simultaneously effects further clockwise rotative effort and compresses heavy duty coil spring 44 and then instantaneously releases it to drive slide member 34 and ram 102 with a high impact force, as is well known in the tacker or impact-type stapler the driving operation of the tool being essentially similar to US. Patent 2,161,449. The ram 102 is driven down with sufiicient force to drive the first staple 88 in the magazine down through slotted portions 100 of curved foot 98. And, since the staple is trapped or retained between the lower outer contour of rod 152 and the slots 100 of foot 98 the staple will follow the curved contour of foot 98 which causes the legs 154 of the staple to curve up around in close securing engagement with the outer periphery of rod 152, as clearly indicated by the numeral 160 in Figure 2. In its assembled condition, staple 88 straddles rod 150 and each leg of the staple is disposed on opposite sides of rod with the legs curved essentially around a major portion of the periphery of rod 152, so that the two rods are fixedly secured together with sufiicient rigidity to hold the rods in the desired pattern to permit pouring of concrete or other materials thereover. The ends of legs 154 of staples 88 are beveled as at 162 to permit the legs 154 to be easily bent to the contour of hook 98.

It will readily be appreciated from the foregoing detailed description that there is herein disclosed a novel and etficient stapling type tool for securing together angularly disposed rods and wire like fabric in a new and unique manner. The present novel invention eliminates the tedious man hours required to secure such rods, wires, or other members together by means of short lengths of wire, and a pair of pliers to twist said wires together. By means of this novel tool, the operation of securing angularly disposed rods together requires a minimum amount of time to develop a positive securing joint in an easy, simple, efficient and inexpensive manner.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential scope or characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a stapling mechanism having a vertically movable staple driver, a detachable staple magazine and clinching assembly comprising: an elongate hollow staple housing; an intermediately disposed substantially deep trough extending inwardly from the underside and throughout the length of said assembly; means in said housing spring biased toward the forward end thereof to move staples in said housing to the forward end thereof; a slidable ram mounted at the forward end of said housing; means detachably connecting said driver and ram, whereby movements of said driver are transmitted to said ram; spaced integral curved clinching members on either side of said trough extending downwardly and forwardly of the front end of said housing; and an integral cam element disposed in the bottom of said trough substantially rearwardly of the forward end of said housing.

2. In a stapling mechanism having a vertically movable staple driver, a detachable staple magazine and clinching assembly comprising: an elongate hollow staple housing; an intermediately disposed substantially deep trough extending inwardly from the underside and throughout the length of said assembly, means in said housing spring biased toward the forward end thereof to move staples in said housing to the forward end thereof; a slidable ram mounted at the forward end of said housing; means detachably connecting said driver and ram, whereby movements of said driver are transmitted to said ram; spaced integral curved clinching members on either side of said trough extending downwardly and forwardly of the front end of said housing; and upwardly openly disposed clinching channels in each of said clinching members.

3. In a stapling mechanism having a vertically movable staple driver, a detachable staple magazine and clinching assembly comprising: an elongate hollow staple housing; an intermediately disposed substantially deep trough extending inwardly from the underside and throughout the length of said assembly; means in said housing spring biased toward the forward end thereof to move staples in said housing to the forward end thereof; a slidable ram mounted at the forward end of said housing; means detachable connecting said driver and ram, whereby movements of said driver are transmitted to said ram, a pair of substantially spaced integral curved clinching members on either side of said trough extending downwardly and forwardly and upwardly at the front end of said housing; the thickness of said clinching members defined by the thickness between the sides of said trough and adjacent outer sides of said magazine; and an upwardly openly disposed clinching channel in each of said clinching members throughout the length of said clinching members.

4. In a stapling mechanism having a vertically movable staple driver, a detachable staple magazine and clinching assembly comprising: an elongate hollow staple housing; spaced attaching members on the upper side of said magazine disposed on opposite sides of the lower portion of said staple mechanism, attaching means passing through said attaching members and staple mechanism securing said magazine and staple mechanism together; an intermediately disposed substantially deep trough extending inwardly from the underside and throughout the length of said assembly; means in said housing spring biased toward the forward end thereof to move staples in said housing to the forward end thereof; a slidable ram mounted at the forward end of said housing; means detachably connecting said driver and ram, whereby movements of said driver are transmitted to said ram;

and spaced integral curved clinching members on either side of said trough extending downwardly and beneath said ram curving forwardly and upwardly of the front end of said housing. t

5. In a stapling mechanism having a vertically movable staple driver, a detachable staple magazine and clinching assembly comprising: an elongate hollow staple housing; an integral solid inner portion in said housing Spaced from the sides and upper of said housing defining therewith a pair of spaced channels and a connecting upper chamber extending throughout the length of said housing; a; pusher member conforming in shape to said chanmils and chamber; spring means fixedly connected to the forward end of said housing and pusher member whereby said pusher member is resiliently biased toward the forward end of said housing; an intermediately disposed substantially deep trough extending inwardly from the underside and throughout the length of said inner portion; a slidable ram mounted at the forward end of said housing; means detachably connecting said driver and ram, whereby movements of said driver are transmitted to said ram; and spaced integral curved clinching members on either side of said trough at the lower end of said housing beneath said ram extending downwardly'and then curving forwardly and upwardly at the front end of said housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,764 Maynard Jan. 1, 

